Conveyor transfer mechanism for printing machines



y 1948- v. J. TENETY 2,442,102

CONVEYOR TRANSFER MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES Filed Feb, 9, 1946 9 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR VINCENT J. TENETY ATTORNEW May 25, 1948. v, J TENETY 2,442,102

CONVEYOR TRANSFER MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES Filed Feb. 9, 1946 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS VINCENT J. TENETY V. J. TENETY Filed Feb. 9, 1946 9 Sheets-Sheet 3 o 00 3i 000 o R v gg & R 4 Ni l [i- O 2 i 0 '& 0 Q' 0 s 2 h l n o k g 6 (a g w Q v INVENTOR VINCENT JAREQETY ATTORNEYS May 25, 1948. v E'r 2,442,102

CONVEYOR TRANSFER MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES 7 Filed Feb. 9, 1946 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 .n mwr ulhAII-i lil was INVENTOR ATTO R N EYJ May 25, 1948. TENETY I 2,442,102

CONVEYOR TRANSFER MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES Filed Feb. 9, 1946 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 L- I INVENTYOR VINCENT J. TENETY BYO@D,J} +6 ATTORNEYS V. J. TENETY May 25, 1948.

CONVEYOR TRANSFER MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES Filed Feb. 9, 1946 .9 Sheets-Sheet 6 I l I I I l I k l I I v INVENTOR VINCENT J. TENETY BYag fi ATTORNEYS May 25, 1948. TENETY 2,442,102

CONVEYOR TRANSFER MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES Filed Feb. 9, 1946 r 9 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTOR VINCENT J.TENETY BYOQQJJV ATTORNEYS May 25, 1948. v. J. TENETY v CONVEYOR TRANSFER MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed Feb. 9, 1946 M lllllllll HEB INVENTOR VINCENT J. TENETY ATTORNEYS v. J. TENETY May 25, 1948.

CONVEYOR TRANSFER MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES Filed Feb. 9, 1946 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 Nux INVENTOR VINCENT J.TENETY OSQJ (b844,,

ATTORNEYS Patented May 25, 1948 CONVEYOR TRANSFER IWECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES Vincent J. Tenety, Jersey City, N. J., assignor to Anigraphic Process, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application February 9, 1946, Serial No. 646,590

' Claims. 1

The present invention relates to a machine for printing on cylinders or objects having curved generally cylindrical surfaces. More particularly still it relates to a machine for printing on cylindrical containers such, for example, as lipstick cases; By means of the present invention containers of generally cylindrical form are automatically fed from a hopper, printed upon by the offset printing method, discharged in a standing position and then fed a plurality at a time in rowsonto a conveyor belt which passes into a drying chamber, whereby the printing is dried before-final discharge of the articles from the machine.

In printing upon objects such as lipstick containers which are molded, there is frequently a molding burr at an end of the container which makes it diiiicult to properly rotate the container during the offset printing thereof. By means of the particular feeding means for the containers which are incorporated in the machine ofthe instant invention, this difficulty is overcome and provision is made for supporting the container so that the burr does not interfere with the rotation imparted to the container by the rubber blanket of the offset printing mechanism.

It is an object of the invention to provide a machine which automatically feeds articles having curved generally cylindrical surfaces from a hopper, prints upon the cylindrical surfaces of the containers, discharges the containers in an upright position upon a belt, and then causes rows of the discharged .containers to be transferred to a belt moving transversely to the first mentioned one and to pass through a heated zone for drying the printing.

It is another object of the invention to provide a mechanism for feeding these cylindrical articles to the printing position and to permit rotation of the articles during printing despite the fact that the surface of the article may be roughened as, for example, by a molding burr at one or both ends thereof. 7

It is another object of the invention to provide a means for transferring a row of articles from a moving belt to another belt at right angles thereto.

It is another object of the invention to provide a machine as mentioned above wherein the printing mechanism is that commonly used in the 011- set printing process and is, therefore, readily available for incorporation in the machine.

Other objects and features of the invention will appear when the following description is considered in connection with the annexed drawings in which-- Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the machine of my invention;

Figure 2is a top plan View of the machine of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a horizontal longitudinal crosssectional view of the machineof Figure 1, the section being taken on the plane of the line 3-3 of that figure;

Figure 4 is a combined side elevational and cross-sectional view of the machine of Figure 1 showing particularly the mechanism for discharging the cylindrical articles from the feed meanstogether with the conveyor for removing these articles in a standing position from the discharge means. This figure is taken on the plane of the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a detail view showing particularly the mode of feeding articles to the printing posi-.

tion, as well as the mode of inking the type roller and transferring the impression thereof to the printing roller or blanket;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the discharge chute or means for causing the articles discharged from the printing means to be turned to assume an upright position for removal by a belt. This figure is partly in section in order to show the details .of the chute arrangement;

Figure '7 is a cross-sectional view of the means for removing a row of articles from one belt and conveying them across, a platform and onto a belt moving at right angles to the first mentioned belt. This view is taken on the plane of the line 'I| of Figure 3;

Figure 8 is an illustration .of one type of article which may be operated upon by the machine of the instant invention;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the machine of Figure 1 showing particularly the various driving elements for imparting movement to the feeding means, the printing means and the belt conveyors. This view is taken on the plane of the line 99 of Figure 2;

Figure 10 is a detail elevational view of the Geneva movement for imparting intermittent motion to the feed means;

Figure 11 is a plan view of the mechanism of Figure 10;

Figure 12 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on the plane of the line l2--l2 of Figure 10 and showing particularly the mode by which the Geneva movement of Figures 10 and ll'may be positioned in order to provide for a change of drive ratio between thedriving motor and the feeding means;

Figure 13 is aview taken on the plane of the Driving means for the feeding and printing mechanisms o The feeding and printing mechanisms 'are driven from a motor'60 (Figure 1) by means of a number of chains, as will shortly'appear. The motor 60 drives a shaft 62 through the intermediary of the gear reduction unit 83 (Figure 1). Shaft 62 carries a sprocket wheel thereon which drives a chain 64 (Figures land 9) which in turn drives the sprocket wheel 65 fixed to the printing roller shaft 50 (see particularly Figure 9). 'Likewise mounted on the shaft 50 is a gear 68 which meshes with the gears 61 adjustably mounted on shafts 68 in a manner which will hereinafter be described. Gears 61 in turn mesh with gears 69 mounted on the studs I and drive the gears II On shafts I2.

Mounted on each of the shafts i2 is a pair of eccentrics I3 and I4 (the left hand ones only being shown in Figure 9) The strap I5 of eccentric I3 is joined to a link It which is pivotally mounted on the shaft I1 of the primary inking roller 48. Mounted on the shaft 11 and fixed thereto is a ratchet wheel I8 with which cooperates a ratchet pawl 80 pivotally mounted on the link I6. Consequently, for each rotation of the shaft I2 the primary inking roller is advanced through one tooth space.

The eccentric strap BI of the second eccentric I4 is pivotally connected at its end to an arm 82 which is fixed to the shaft 55. The transfer rollers 44 are mounted on arms 83 fixed to the shaft 45 and, consequently at each rotation of the shaft E2 the rollers 44 are moved out of contact with the primary inking rollers 46 and into contact with the first of the series of ink feeding rollers 43. As a result of this construction, the rollers 44 receive ink from rollers 46 and are then oscillated into position in contact with the first of the series of rollers 43 which rollers pick up the ink from rollers 44 and distribute it on to the second in the series of transfer rollers 43. The ink is thus spread upon the inking rollers 42 which are rotating against the surface of the rollers 40 bearing the type plates or impressions so that these type plates are inked on their surfaces and the inked surfaces upon coming in contact with the rubber blanket 5| leave their impression thereon to be transferred in the normal offset printing manner to the containers resting in the grooves 23, as has been previously described.

Gear 66, in addition to driving the gear 61, as has been mentioned, also meshes with a gear 84 mounted on a stud 85. Also mounted on the stud s5 for rotation with the gear at is the driving member 86 of a Geneva drive designated 81. This Geneva drive comprises the driving member 86 previously mentioned which has a peripheral generally circular surface 88 having the usual half moon shaped sector cut therefrom. Supported by the member 86 is the Geneva driving pin 80 which cooperates with the slots 9| of the Geneva star wheel 92, the star wheel being mounted on a stud 93 fixed in an arm 94 pivotally mounted on the stud 85 (Figures 10, l1 and 12). As the gear 84 rotates the pin 90 will enter a slot of the star wheel 93 and will thereby cause a quarter turn of the star wheel. Due to cooperation. of the periphery of the star wheel with the circular periphery of the member 88 of the Geneva drive there can be no movement of the star wheel except the desired quarter turn for each revolution of the drving member 86.

Integral with the star wheel 92 is a pinion 95 6, I4. As a consequence of the construction just above described, the plates I3 are intermittently advanced through the distance between one set of grooves 23 and the following set and containers are advanced one by one to the printing point and retained there during the printing operation.

Inasmuch as it is desirable to be able to replace the plates I3 with plates having grooves of different diameters therein for supporting articles or cylinders of different diameter and inasmuch as different diameters require the articles to re-' main-at the printing point for different periods of time, the mounting of the Geneva star wheel 92 on a stud swingable about the axis of the member 86, i. e., about the stud 85, is provided. Because of this construction it is possible to replace the pinion 95 and gear 96 with a different set having different diameters without necessitating any alteration of the construction since the slots 9| in the star Wheel 92 are of sufficient depth to permit of movement of the star wheel about the axis of the driving member 88 of the Geneva movement.

As is clearlyseen particularly in Figures 11 through 14, the arm 94 is fastened in its adjusted position by means of a screw or bolt 91 which passesthrough a slot 98 in a frame member or plate I00 being threaded into the arm 84 to thereby clamp the arm in the adjusted position as mentioned.

Adjustment of the printing mechanisms As has been indicated hereinabove, the type rollers 40 are adjustable vertically in order that the pressure exerted by them on the rubber printing blankets 5| may be increased or decreased. It might be well to note at this time that the two printing mechanisms heretofore described and the trains of inking and transfer rollers associated therewith are provided in order that two color printing may be performed. In many instances only one of the inking mechanisms will be active. The vertical adjustment of the inking rollers is shown in detail in Figure 18. The shafts 8B are rotatably mounted in the eccentrics IOI which are in turn mounted in the supporting plates I02 which are supported on the frame work I0 in the manner indicated in Figure 1.

'The position of the eccentrics may be adjusted by means of the screws I03 each pair of which cooperate with'an arm I84 made integral with one of the eccentrics NH. The face of each eccentric is provided with a scale I05 cooperating with a mark I06 on the plate I02 so that the position of the eccentrics may be known. Thus by adjusting all eccentrics to the same scale position the pressure of the rollers 40 upon the printing blankets may be made equal and brought to a desired point.

Inasmuch as it is, of course, necessary to have the two type rollers 40 operate on different portions of the blankets 5I, an adjustment is also provided by means of which the rollers 40 may be angularly adjusted with respect to the shafts 68. This is accomplished in the following manner. Gears 61 which, as has been stated are driven by the gear 66, are freel rotatable upon shafts 68 but are connected by means of the bolts I 0'! to respective collars I08 which are fixed to the shaft 68 by mean-s of set screws I08. The bolts I01 extend through slots III) in' the collars I08 and, therefore, by loosening the bolts the position of the shafts 68 relative to the respective gears 61 may be determined.

, fCcmvez/or mechanismcndidrive As; has been stated, the 'contain'ers il'tare discharged in an upright positionon to a conveyor belt lt; The upper reach of this conveyor belt operates in a groove III in "the platformorplate -2| whichextends horizontally'atxone end ofthe machine, as clearly indicated in Figures 4 and"Z. The conveyor belt I3 passes over the pulleys H2 and H3, pulley 1 l3 being the driven pulley of the pair. Drive for pulley I I3 is supplied by means of a sprocket wheel H4 mounted on the shaft H5 of the pulley H3. The sprocket wheel is driven by a chain II6 which extends from sprocket wheel II! to sprocket wheel "H8 .and' meshes with the sprocket wheel 114, as has been stated. Sprocket wheel II"! is mounted onshaft' I which shaft is driven through the .medium of the gear reduction box I2I. The input totliis gear reduction'box is by means of a chain I22 extending between sprocket wheel I23 ,on shaft 62' and sprocket wheel I24 on the input shaft-of the gear reduction box I21. The relationship of the various parts just described may also be seen in Figure 9 as well as infFigures '3 and l.v

The containers moving with the belt .I8 which moves quite slowly are moved from this belt in a group or row, as will later be described, and after being pushed across the platform 2. I (Fig--v ure "7) are deposited upon the conveyor belt .22. The belt 22 is driven in any suitable manner, not shown, and serves to convey the printed upon containers away from the machine and prefer- Means for moving containers from one belt to the other Mention has been made heretofore ofa means for pushing a row of. containers from the :belt ,IB across the platform 2| and onto the conveyor belt 22. This means comprises a pairof sprocket chains I26, which chains pass over the pairs of sprocket wheels I21, I28 and I29. Sprocket wheels. I28 are mounted on ashaft I30, which shaft is driven by a chain I3I through the medium of the sprocket wheels 132 and I33 (Elsi ures .3 and 7). The shaft of sprocket wheel-I32 is driven through a reduction gear unit J34 by means of the sprocket wheel I35 which is in turn driven from sprocket wheel I I8 through the medium of chain I36. Thesprocket H8 is driven by thechain II6 in a manner already described. Chains I26 have pivoted thereto the twopairs of arm I31 which arms are joined at .their sex, tremities by the bars I38. Following the pivot points I33 of the bars l 3 1 in the direction :of movement of the chains 126, each chain isprovided with a long link pin I40. Fixed 5139 theplatform 2I to the out-side of the belt-I3, that is to. the left as seen in Figure 7,, are a pa-ir of camplates I l-l which cooperate with the bars I33 and cause the bars to assume the positionv shown in the full lines in Figure-'7 to thereby push the containers I.='I- across the platform 21,-. As -=the containers reach the belt .22 and are pushed moon it, the .chains I reach the position in-theirmovement at which the arms I31 start to-be elevated; above the surface of the platform ,2I. Consequently, the arms with their bars J38 are freed from their pressure against the platform. 21 and swing away from the 'con-tainers thereby avoiding a movement which would otherwisecause the containers tobertipped over. Thearms thisloperation has been accomplished the .arms' L3] rest against ,a set of elongated .lirik .pinsil All whichlead .the pivot points I139 in .the direction of-travel ofithe-chains I26. Then .as the chains continue their ,movement the dotted line posi-. tions shown at the left of Figure '7 successively takeplace and the arms .I 3.1 with theiribars 4.38 finally reach 1 a ,position in which the armshang vertically and the bars come into engagement withuthe cam plates I'M to repeat the operation lustadescribedr .Although in-the present instance two :pairs of armsl31 and two bars 188 have vbeen show-has pivoted -to-the chains 125,

it :willbe understood that the number of .arms.

and bars may be varied, the number being sufii cient to move :a, completed .row of containers, from the belt I8 at each operation. 7

It will-be noted by reference to Figures ,3 and 4 that thelefthand ones of the arms :IB'T are made inctwo :part's which are screwed together. isadone ineorder tomake it more readily possible to remove the .arms I.3-'I'-and-,-bars I28 from-the machine when necessary and also in order to offset the lefthandarms: I 31 -sothat they not strike .anclzti p over the first-container ofa following roup.

While I have described a preferred embodia menttofqmy invention for purposes of illustration,

it -wi ll beiazpnarent to those skilled in the ant thatv various modifications are possible without de partingtrom the nature of the invention and .1 desiregtherefore', to ibe limited only by the crime-appended claims. 1

Vik at "is claimed is: V V V I l. fin-a device for removinga row-of upright-{ar IiiOICSafEOm a moving 'belt and transferring them;

:a :row to :a :second :belt moving at right angles thereto-in the-same plane, in-combination, ,a platfor-m extending from one belt to the other an endless conveyor mounted above said platform, a pair -of-arms pivotally 1-mounted on said .conveyor, said arms being of greater length then thedistanceabetween the lower reach of said conveyzon-and the said platform, a .bar joining said, arms at: their .ends, means for causing saidarms to extend .iorwardly, from said conveyor in the die; section oftraveldof the lower reach thereof and; to move across the first belt at right angles to:

th ,diz-agtionpftiahl thereof to thereby push ,a'

row .of articles fr'om said beltand on to said'iplat-j formeand' acrosssaid platform .to. the. second belt, and .meanslforpreventing the said arms and bar: from tinping'oyer the articles ,as they'reach said second belt, said meanscomprising the mounting of the conveyor .in .a position such that the arms endlessiconveyor mounted aboyemaelstro scope and across said platform to thesecond belt, means for preventing the said arms from tipping over the articles as they reach said second belt, said means comprising the mounting of the conveyor in a position such that the arms are elevated and permitted to swing free at the moment when the row of articles is deposited on the second belt,

means for causing said arms and bars to pivot as they return along the upper reach of said conveyor and to thereby be in position for again cooperating with said means for assuring their forwardly extending position in the direction of travel of the lower reach of the belt.

3. In a device for removing a row of upright articles from a moving belt and transferring them in a row to a second belt moving at right angles thereto in the same plane, in combination, a platform extending from one belt to the other, a pair of endless chains mounted above said platform, the lower reaches of said chains being spaced a predetermined distance above said platform, a plurality of pairs of sprockets over which said chains pass, one pair lying at the end of said platform adjacent said receiving belt and another pair lying on the far side of the articles on the discharge belt, a plurality of pairs of arms each arm of a pair being pivotally mounted on one of said chains, said arms being of greater length than the predetermined distance between said platform and the lower reaches of said chains, a bar joining the outer end of each pair of arms, cam means lying adjacent said discharge belt on the far side thereof, said cam means serving to cause each pair of arms and cooperating bar to extend forwardly in the direction of movement of the lower reach of the chains to thereby engage against the articles and remove them from the belt, and as the chains advance to cause movement of the articles across the platform and onto the receiving belt, said pivotal mounting of said arms on said chains and the positions of said sprockets causing the arms to be elevated immediately upon the reception of the articles on the receiving belt, whereby the arms and bars swing free and prevent the tipping over of the articles, means comprising long link pins in the chains in position following the said arms to cause the said arms to be elevated as the chains continue their movement, and means for rotating the arms through substantially 180 as they traverse the upper reaches of the chains to thereby reposition the said arms for cooperation with the said cam means.

4. In a device for removing a row of upright articles from a moving belt and transferring them in a row to a second belt moving at right angles thereto in the same plane, in combination, a platform extending from one belt to the other, a pair of endless chains mounted above said platform, the lower reaches of said chains being spaced a predetermined distance above said platform, "a plurality of pairs of sprockets over which said chains pass, one pair lying at the end of said platform adjacent said receiving belt and another pair lying on the far side of the articles on the discharge belt, a plurality of pairs of arms E10 each arm of a pair being pivotally mounted on one of said chains, said arms being of greater length than the predetermined distance between said platform and .the lower reaches of said chains, a bar joining the outer en ds of each pair of arms, cam means lying adjacent said discharge belt on the far side thereof, said cam means serving to cause each pair of arms and coo-perating bar to extend forwardly in the direction of movement of the lower reach of the chains to thereby engage against the articles and remove them from the belt, and as the'chains advance to cause movement of the articles across the platform and onto the receiving belt, said pivotal mounting of said arms on said chains and the positions of said sprockets causing the arms to be elevated immediately upon the reception of the articles on the receiving belts, whereby the arms and bars swing free and prevent the tipping over of the articles, means comprising long link pins in the chains in position following the said arms to cause the said arms to be elevated as the chains continue their movement, a bell crank extension on each of said arms, and cam means along the upper reaches of said chains adapted to cooperate with said bell crank extensions to rotate said arms about their pivot points through susbtantially to thereby position said arms and bars for cooperation with said first mentioned cam means.

5. In a device for removing a row of upright articles from a moving belt and transferring them in a row to a second belt moving at right angles thereto in the same plane, in combination, a platform extending from one belt to the other, a pair of endless chains mounted above said platform, the lower reaches of said chains being spaced a predetermined distance above said platform, a plurality of pairs of sprockets over which said chains pass, one pair lying at the end of said platform'adjacent said receiving belt and another pair lying on the far side of the articles on the discharge belt, a plurality of pairs of arms each arm of a pair being pivotally mounted on one of said chains, said arms being of greater length than the predetermined distance between said platform and the lower reaches of said chains, a bar joining the outer ends of each pair of arms, cam means lying adjacent said discharge belt on the far side thereof, said cam means serving to cause each pair of arms and cooperating bar to extend forwardly in the direction of movement of the lower reach of the chains to thereby engage against the articles and remove them from the belt, and as the chains ad- Vance to cause movement of the articles across the platform and onto the receiving belt, said pivotal mounting of said arms on said chains and the positions of said sprockets causing the arms to be elevated immediately upon the reception of the articles on the receiving belts, whereby the arms and bars swing free and prevent the tipping over of the articles, means comprising long link pins in the chains in position following the said arms to cause the said arms to be elevated as the chains continue their movement, a bell crank extension on each of said arms, cam means along the upper reaches of said chains adapted to cooperate with said bell crank extensions to rotate said arms about their pivot points through substantially 180 to thereby position said arms and bars for cooperation with said first mentioned cam means, and elongated link pins in the chains lying forwardly of the arms in the direction of trave1 of "the chains to support 

